Deslauriers Goes Out With A Bang (Views: 8576)

Coming to the Washington International, Lucy Deslauriers knew she’d have her last trip ever aboard Centerfield. So she made that time together count, winning the Washington International Horse Show Pony Equitation Classic.

With Hurricane Sandy scheduled to hit the East Coast this afternoon, show management moved up the start time an hour to 6 a.m. And even though the ring ran a solid 15 minutes ahead of the new schedule, a handful of riders still opted to scratch from the equitation final, with many trainers avoiding the mess by heading west to the final leg of the indoor tour at the Alltech National Horse Show (Ky.).

By the time the dust cleared, 20 riders contested the class over a course set by J.P. Godard. Riders faced a relatively straightforward course over hunter jumps with a rollback and a few broken lines.

Riders who wanted blue attempted a snug turn inside an end jump early on course, but most of those did it awkwardly. Deslauriers, who lives in New York City, found a smooth track there, which she chalked up to her horse’s incredible rideability, to earn an 87.

“Everyone says we wish we could blow him up to be 16.2 [hands],” said Krista Freundlich who trains Deslauriers at shows along with Stacia Madden, Heather Senia and Max Amaya. At home Deslauriers rides with her parents, grand prix riders Lisa Silverman Deslauriers and Mario Deslauriers.

In the flat phase, Deslauriers stayed on top, finishing ahead of Charlise Casas. Ericka Koscinski rode Charcoal to take third.

Sassafras Creek Is Grand

Daisy Farish has made quite a name for herself, but she’d never won a title at Washington. But she fixed that this year, sweeping the over fences classes on Sassafras Creek to take the medium pony and grand pony hunter championships back to Versailles, Ky. Francesca Dildabanian rode her Laugh Out Loud to the medium pony reserve title.

“She has a huge stride, a good rhythm, and she’s easy to find the jumps on,” said Farish. “I didn’t get nervous this show because ‘Sassy’ has always been good for me. She makes me confident.”

Kurtz Is Best

This year’s Best Child Rider on a Pony doesn’t even have a horse of her own. Emma Kurtz, 12, catch rode Hillcrest Blue Halo to the small pony hunter championship at Washington during her first trip to the show. Weebiscuit and Sophie Gochman topped the handy to win the small pony reserve title.

“This was my first time showing her, and I had never ridden her before this,” said Kurtz, Hudson, Ohio. “I just got on her at this show for the first time. She was pretty easy and slow—she’s lazy. I didn’t have to do anything special. She’s a good girl.”

Kurtz has become a sought after catch rider this season, filling in for top young riders at major shows all season. She trains with Amanda Lyerly and Mike Rheinheimer.